It is un-American and outrageous that special laws can deny us our day in court simply because we were victimized by the gun industry. Our lawsuit was not frivolous. Our Jessi was shot multiple times with high-velocity, armor-piercing bullets that were designed by our military to inflict maximum damage on enemy combatants.

I feel like this world is telling me, telling us – don’t breathe while being black.

You’re sleeping in your own house – you get shot.

You go to the store for snacks – you get killed

You go enjoy a dip in pool – you get cursed at, gun drawn on you, flung around

and your face smushed in the grass

You exercise your constitutionally given right to free speech – you get charged

with resisting arrest

You don’t shuffle along fast enough you get the silver bracelets

You drive a car that’s just a little too nice – you get pulled over and assumed to be

a car jacker.

You’re unarmed, but you panic and run (fight or flight) – you get shot.

You’re unarmed, you stand in place, you get shot

You’re driving home from your bachelor party – you get shot

You get in a car accident, you knock on someone’s door for help – you get shot

You play your music too loud – you get shot

You go to church, to pray – for peace, for justice, for healing – YOU GET FUCKING SHOT!!

Is this real life, right now?

I’m sitting here tearing up. I’m tired of this bullshit. First we were brought here for labor. Not we’re just for target practice.

And what will the media say about the victims? Will they pull out their bag of pre-conceived notions, sink into the muck and scrounge around for every single “misdeed” than any of these people may have done ever in their lives? Will they paint this not as a Bible study, but as some sort of agitator’s conference? “Oh, yeah. We know – them darkies just up to no good. Can’t have too many of them congregatin’ in one place”

And what does the media say about the killer? Will they call him a poor mixed up young kid? “He’s sick. He needs our understanding”